Device for use in stretching skins or the like



Aug. 25, 1931. v E. G. WILSON 32 DEVICE FOR USE IN STRETGHING SKINS ORTHE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 25 1931. E. G. WILSONDEVICE FOR USE IN STRETCHING SKINS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 j/fayi.

Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EVAN GEORGE WILSON, FBLUNDELLSANDS, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND i DEVICE FOR USE IN STRETCI-IINGSKINS OR THE LIKE Application filed February 23, 1929, Serial No.342,268, and in Great Britain February 29, 1928.

0 which may be anchored in selected or appropriate meshor other openingsor interstices of the frame.

My invention is characterized by the inclusion, in an appliance of thetype before referred to, of a plurality of hook-like members orprotuberances or stops suitably spaced apart and arranged or disposedone behind another for the purpose hereinafter described.

The skin-holding or gripping means may embody a jaw adapted to receive aportion of the edge of a skin, and comprising relatively fixed andmovable components or members, the movable component consisting of a camor wedge theoperative face of which is transversely grooved or ridged orotherwise pro- 1 vided with suitable relative projections anddepressions, and said cam or wedge constituting an arm of a lever theother arm whereof forms a thumb piece whereby said cam or wedge may bemoved by hand. i

Preferably, there is included a spring or springs which tend to maintainsaid cam or wedge in its operative or skin-engaging osition. c

' The relatively fiXed jaw component preferably projects forwardlysomewhat beyond the vmovable jaw component, in order that it may act asa guide to the operator, assist the leading of a portion of the edge ofa skin contact with the meshes or interstices of the frame.

Said hook-like members or protuberances or stops may be connected, to aplate, or the I like, which is romovably associated with the into thejaw gap, and maintain a skin out of articulated together that theappliance-as a wholemay be readily shortened at will, in order thatadditional or supplementary tension may be imposed on a skin when insitu on the frame. I will further describe my invention with the aid ofthe accompanying sheet of ex-. 'planatory drawings, which illustrate,byway of examples only, several modes of carrying,

the invention into effect. I

In said drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view of askin-holding or gripping appliance, 1

according to one construction.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of a frag- Fig. 6 is a side elevation,drawn to an enlarged scale as compared with Fig. 5, showindurn-anchoredto the frame.

'Fig. 7 is anelevation, and Fig.8 a plan in the skin held by anappliance whichisfof an appliance according to a further m0di...

fication; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view. 7 I

In the several figures of the drawings, like characters of referencedenote like or equivalent parts wherever they occur.

Referring first, more particularly, to' the appliance illustrated inFigs. 1 to 3, inclusive, V

a body casting A of aluminium, or other suitable metal, includes an arm1; a smooth flat table portion 2 which constitutes a relatively fixedjaw component; a pair of suitably spaced hook-like members orprotuberances 3, arranged one behind another and projecting from portion4 of the body A;

and a finger ring 5.

Pivotally associated with arms 1- of body A is a lever 6, 6 whereon isprovided a lateral pin 7 which extends through and is revoluble in abearing boss or enlargement 8 formed on arm 1,"the end of'said pin beingriveted over a washer 9.

shown.

.into several adjustment positions cor Arm 6 of said lever 6, 6 forms athumb piece, whilst arm 6 is in the form of a cam or wedge on theoperative face of which are formed transverse grooves or ridges as Saidarm 6 constitutes the relative ly movable conugonent of a grippingdevice of which, as before stated, the table portion 2 provides thefixed component.

Said lever 6, 6 tends to remain in the position illustrated in 1 and i.with the jaw am or wedge 6 in contact with or near the jaw table 2 underthe influence of a coiled wire spring 10 one end of which is attached tothe jaw arm 6, whilst the other end is attached to a lateral 11 cast onarm 1. Jaw member 2 projects forwardly sor' c what beyond jaw member 6for the pur before described.

In the application of the skin 8 to be strained or stretch the operatorwill insert a linger ring 5, and with his thni'n arm 6 to cause jaw camor wedge arm to retire and more or less open. the 1 this against theresist. to of said up i. the appliance will now be fitted to an edge ofthe skin 8 so that a portion of th skii'is edge enters said gap 12, andthe thumb piece ('3 will be released, with the result r mat, undo theinfluence of spring 10, lever 6, will move about fulcrum pi 7 and theskin will be firmly held or gripped between the transversely ridged faceof the cam or weqge jaw member 6 and the smooth flat face of the jawmember 2. Th. -1, one or other of the hook-like projections orprotuberances 3 will be engaged or anchored by the o erator in aselected or appropriate iutcrs ice or mesh opening of the mesh-work 18of ime 14, as illustrated in Fig 5 and It to be'noted that as thepulling e'liiect on the shin is increased the holding or gripping actionof the jaw 6, 2 is intensified or enhanced.

By the employment of a plurality of hooklike members or protuberances orsteps arranged one behind another, any given pitch of frame mesh may bedivided subdivided -csponding with the number of hook-T e inc1nbers orstops pro *ided. Consequently, a frame of coarser mesh, and thereforelighter and of cheaper manufacture, may be used to obtainfiner grad'uatins of :uliustnumt than would be possible with the use an ili ppliaiicehaving a single anchoring hook. or example a mesh of one inch pitch maybe divided into two ha by the use of two hooks or inch griul ations Ibehind another, such hooks being of one half is completed. the appliancer ay be readily detached from the frame and skin.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4C

the hook-like projections orprotuberances 3 are cast on a tapering platecarrier 15 which is slidable in a tapered slot 16 with undercut wallsformed in the underside 4 of body casting A. If, therefore, one or moreof the hooklikc projections 3 should become broken, or 7 if hooks ofother shape and/or of different pitch are required to be used, thecarrier plate 15 may be removed and replaced by a new wtih hooks.

iring now to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawi gs, the appliance thereinillustrat d is, in cii'cct, divided or separated into two portions whichare so formed and connected or articulated together that additional orsupplementary tension may imposed on a skin, 30

- when in situ on the frame b simnl I turnin 7 1. D

a. d a shank extension 19 which is curved or 3ft. essed opposite orreverse manner to the" curvature of said first mentioned shank 17, and"liern'iinates in a similarly passaged hearing boss 20.

Said bosses 18, 20 are loosely disposed 011,3 pins 21 between a pair ofplates 22, 23 on one of which is formed a wing piece 24.

In use, the appliance is connected to the eog'c of a portion of a skin 8to be treated and is anchored to frame 1 in manner as; hereinbeforedescribed. A

Should it be desired, however, to subject the skin to additional. orsupplementary ten sion or stress, said wing; piece '24; is turned, withthe result that said shank bosses 18, 20 are rried into nestingengagement in the recessed shanks (the boss of one shank lying in therec of the other shank, illustrated in Fig. 9) so that the appliance, asa whole, is substantially shortened, and Will -l positively remain inthis contracted condition until said wing piece 24 is wilfully act-uatedagain to restore the parts to their elongated positions.

t is to be noted that the arrangement ofgi said hooks 3 is such that theappliance, when applied to frame ll, remains flat thereon, irrespectiveto which of said hooks is then "rent with meshwork l3.

t l to secure by Letters Patent is 2- An appliance for use in thestraining or stretching of .EKlllS on frames, which appliance embodiesmeans whereby a portion 019 the edge of a. skin may be d-etachably heldor" gripped; plurality of hook-like members carried by said means, incombination with a screen, said hook-like members being spaced onebehind another unequally with respect-13c to the spacing of parallelstrands of saidi screen.

2.An appliance for use in the straining or stretching of skinson'frames, comprising a pair of oppositely curved shank portions, amember pivotally connected to the ends of said portions, a skin grippingdevice carried by one of said portions, and anchoring means carried bythe other portion, the pivotally connected end of each portion beingreceivable in the curve of the other portion by operation of saidmember,

3. An appliance for use in the straining or stretching of skins onframes, comprising means whereby a portion of the edge of a skin maybedetachably held, and a plurality of hook-like members, spaced apart andarranged one behind another to permit of fine adjustment on such frames,the frame-engaging parts of said members being equidistantperpendicularly from said means so that said appliance, When applied toa frame, remains substantially flat thereon irrespective as to Which ofsaid hook-like members is then in engagement with the frame.

4. An appliance foruse in the straining or stretching of skins onframes, comprising means whereby a portion of the edge of a skin may bedetachably held, a plurality of hook-like members spaced apart andarranged one behind another to permit of fine adjustment on such frames,means for contracting the distance between the first named means andsaid members, the frame-engaging parts of said members belng equidlstantper pendicularly from said means so that said appliance, When applied toa frame, remains substantially flat thereon irrespective as to 7 Whichof said hook-like members is then in engagement with the frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EVAN GEORGE WILSON.

